


What To Do With The Devil At Your Door

by TheSweetestTrickster



Category: Supernatural
Genre: And use of a female OC?, Do those count?, Human Lucifer?, Lots of fluff definitely, M/M, Maybe a bit of OOC Lucifer?, Nickifer, i'm not sure?, maybe a bit of angst?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-04-25 06:08:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4949602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSweetestTrickster/pseuds/TheSweetestTrickster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Nick Lambert finally gets his life back on track, the last thing he expects is for the Devil to return. What he expects even less is how he starts to feel for him...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Dark.

It was just…  _dark_. Which almost scared him more than anything, because there was never just  _anything_ in the Cage. Darkness and pain, sure. Darkness and fear, yes. But never just...  _darkness_. And Lucifer didn't understand  _why_. What had happened? Where were the agonies he was used to? What had gone wrong? He almost didn't want to question it, on the off chance that something had, for once, gone  _right._ But he was Lucifer -- when had  _anything_ gone right? The next thing he felt was a soft, chilled breeze. He heard leaves rustling nearby in the wind, faint birdsong. Slowly, so slowly, he opened one eye. 

He was greeted with the oranges, yellows, and reds of an October sky at sunset. Around him, leaves of every color danced in the fall breeze. The earth was soft with fresh rain, the scent filling his nostrils. He... He was on Earth. Out of the Cage. But  _how_?

Slowly, Lucifer sat up. He had a body, that much was clear. Eyes roamed it, over long legs, pale hands, fingers that brushed over his hair and facial features. He was in Nick's vessel again. But that wasn't the only odd thing. Something in him was missing. Empty. When he tried to find it, he realized what it was: he was human. He, Lucifer, the great Morning Star, the loather of all Mankind... was  _human_. For a moment or two he was simply in shock. Faintly, somewhere far, far away, he could feel his Grace. Still trapped in the Cage. But he was here, sitting in the damp soil, feeling exhausted and weak and barely alive. 

Slowly, he stood. Where was he? All he could really see were trees. He thought he could hear cars nearby, but he wasn't sure. Lost, confused, and honestly a bit scared, Lucifer took a breath and started on shaky legs. Something was pulling him East, and in all his years, the Devil learned to trust his instincts. 

 

* * *

 

 

East from Lucifer was a man.

The man was tired. He felt older than his bones and more exhausted than his mind. He bore scars from a year of his life he didn't even remember. That he didn't  _want_ to remember. But things were okay now, he told himself. He had a new home, a new job... Things were going to be okay. They'd been okay for a whole year and a half. If his life was going to go wrong again, then it would have already. At least, that's what Nick Lambert kept telling himself.

He came home late that day. Bundled up in his jacket, scarf wrapped around his face. His job wasn't exciting, an accountant's job usually never is, but it was steady good pay that allowed him a nice big house away from the city. Nothing but rustling leaves and soft brown grass, and Nick liked it that way. He had a severe distrust of people after the incident, and when he wasn't at work, he was home. And that was his life -- and he  _liked_ it that way. In his opinion, he'd had enough adventure for a lifetime. 

Nick moved to the kitchen and started up some dinner. Cooking was a new hobby he'd taken up. He found that focusing on the measurements, making sure it was all done correctly, that not a _grain_ was out of place... It soothed him. It kept his mind occupied. If he thought for too long... Memories would start crawling back into his mind. Things he didn't want to see. Ripping people's hearts out with his own hands. Being shot in the head and getting up again. Slaughtering, murdering... Blood. Red was the color of his memories.

He was almost done when he heard a knock on the door. Nick glanced at the clock in surprise. Who'd be at the door this late at night? He made his way to it and opened it slowly, opening his mouth to (politely) say he didn't want whatever they were selling, that it was late, that he'd been working all day and all he wanted to do was eat dinner and enjoy a peaceful evening. But when ice blue eyes met ice blue eyes... his heart stopped. There he was --  _literally him_ \-- standing on the stoop. Covered in blood, and dirt, and his clothes torn up. No scars over his face and hands, no bags under his eyes... Him, before his life went to hell.

Nick panicked, staring at the other, his heart racing. _It's just a hallucination, Nick. That's all it is. You're stressed. You're seeing things again. Just close the door and walk away_. He blinked a few times, and the other "him" seemed equally surprised. He'd opened his mouth a few times to speak before closing it, his brow furrowed, eyes cold and analytical. "N... _Nick_?" he said, in a voice  _like_ Nick's, but he knew otherwise. It was too cold, too crisp. He'd heard this man using his voice for a year, and he could pick him out blindfolded in a crowd.

" _Lucifer_."

They stared at each other. There was something...  _off_ about the Archangel. Nick couldn't put his finger on it, but he didn't plan on taking the time to figure it out. Already he was shaking his head, knuckles white as he griped the door. "No. No, okay?  _No_. You're not real. You left. You're gone. I'm dreaming. I don't want it. Go away. No. No.  _No_!"

Lucifer stared at Nick, surprised. Not only that his instinct had led him to a human, but that it was  _this_ human. "I... I thought you died."

Nick stared at him with anger and fear in his eyes. "Well? I didn't. No thanks to you," he growled, "I woke up cold and half dead on that floor, barely enough energy to crawl to the window and scream for help before it all went black. I woke up two months later in a hospital." Why was he still talking to him? He didn't owe the Devil  _any_ explanation. Nick let out a breath, and shook his head. "Who cares. It's over.  _Go away_."

He moved to shut the door, but a hand stopped him. " _Please_."

Nick froze, and opened the door again, staring at the other with impossibly wider eyes. Had... Had the Devil just said  _please_? And was that a hint of  _desperation_ in his tone? Nick blinked a few times. What kind of strange _Twilight Zone_ hallucination was this? The Devil stared at him, seeming impossibly vulnerable, and Nick just stared back with a cold expression. After they stood in silence a while, Nick got antsy again. "Well? Spit it out! Please  _what_?"

Lucifer jumped a bit, then cleared his throat and stood upright. "I'm not... uh... I'm not quite sure how I came back to Earth," he explained, "I woke up about two miles from here. Something pulled me East, and I followed it all the way to your door. I..." He sighed, running a hand through dirty, sandy blonde hair. "I'm human, Nick," Lucifer practically whispered, looking away, "My Grace is still in the Cage. I don't have wings, I don't have power... I can't even clean myself up. Please, Nick.  _Please_. All I'm asking for is one night to stay. On the couch, in the garage, on the welcome mat on your front porch... I just need a safe place to gather myself, then I'll go. I swear to you."

The man in the house furrowed his brows in confusion. Human? Was he telling the truth? Nick could honestly not think of  _any_ reason Lucifer would feign weakness -- he'd seen the Archangel's mind, he was too proud for such things. But that didn't mean Nick wasn't wary. But something in him, that shred of kindness left in him from before life went downhill, started crying out, and it wasn't long before Nick was sighing in defeat. He hesitated a moment or two more, eyeing the thermometer on the porch, noting how cold it would be that night, before giving another sigh and stepping aside.

"One night," he said, his tone stern, "One night, and you are out of my life for good. You understand?" Lucifer looked at Nick with surprise, but nodded, and moved into the house. Nick noted the goosebumps on the other's arm, an odd notion considering the Devil burned cold. Maybe he really  _was_ human. He watched as the Devil made his way into his home, as he walked through the living room, and turned to Nick. 

"Something smells good," he commented. Nick cursed, shutting the door and running into the kitchen. Luckily, none of his dinner was burned, and he was able to finish it up quickly. Lucifer just stood there in silence, watching as Nick worked. It was kind of unsettling, having your Satanic doppelganger calmly watching you cook, but at least he wasn't being annoying or causing trouble. He made his plate and sat at the table, while Lucifer stood in the doorway, watching in silence. Nick cleared his throat awkwardly.

"You, uh... You want some?" he asked, "I mean, if you're human, you've got to eat, right?"

Lucifer looked at him, then the food, and shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm not sure there are any foods I like, and I'd hate to be a bad guest and spit out your food if I don't like it. So it's better if I just don't eat." 

Nick shrugged and dug in. He was starving, and now? He was stressed. He was still hoping that this was all a hallucination, that he'd wake up tomorrow and the Devil would be gone. But for now, he was stuck with him. Nick ate quickly, trying to get into bed as soon as possible. He finished his meal, set his dishes in the sink, and brushed past Lucifer into the living room. The Devil followed, watching as Nick got out some blankets and set them on the couch. "You sleep there," he told him, "I'll be down in the morning. Tomorrow's Saturday, so I may not be up until later in the day." 

Lucifer moved to the couch and settled on it, a look on his face like he was surprised by its softness. He laid out and covered himself with the blanket, and once he was settled, he looked up at Nick. "Thank you," he said quietly, eyes flitting away, "I will be gone in the morning. I promise." Nick hoped so. He just wanted this whole supernatural nightmare to be over. Like it should have been a year and a half ago. Nick bid a begrudging goodnight and moved up the stairs. He shut and locked his door for good measure, before slowly starting to get ready for bed. 

Every now and again he'd pause, listening for sounds from downstairs. When he heard nothing, he continued getting ready for bed. He slipped under the sheets about a half hour later and turned off the lights, listening in silence. All he heard was -- to his surprise -- a gentle snoring coming from downstairs. Eventually, despite his best efforts, Nick started dosing, which eventually led to full on sleep. For once, Nick didn't have nightmares. He dreampt of light, of rightness. And to be honest? That scared him more than anything.

 

* * *

 

 

When Nick woke that morning, everything was silent. There was lazy birdsong out the window, cloudy sunlight, orange leaves blowing past the window every now and again. The clock read 12:30 PM. He sat up slowly, rubbing his face, and slipped out of bed. Across the floor, down the stairs, on went the living room light, and he froze. There was Lucifer, back to him, still sound asleep. In the light of day, Nick could see him better. He looked thin, pale, sickly. When he turned over, Nick saw how sunken in his eyes looked, the scruff on his cheeks. He looked like he literally had one food in Death's door. 

That annoying little voice was speaking up again, and Nick sighed. How could he let him just walk out of here like this? What kind of person would he be? Did the Devil deserve Nick's kindness? No. But Nick wouldn't be Nick if he gave it anyway. Besides, Lucifer hadn't done anything to harm him, had he?

"Hey, wake up."

Lucifer stirred, waking slowly. His eyes fluttered open and they landed on Nick, before they looked out the window. "It's afternoon," he commented, "I overslept. I'm sorry. I'll go." He started to stand, but Nick shook his head and held up a hand.

"You're not healthy enough to go it on your own, Lucifer," he said, forcing the name out of his lips, "I know I'm going to regret this, but... I want you to stay here until you're at least well enough to pass as a human being. You look like the living dead right now." He could only imagine how horrible he looked under the clothes he wore. Jutting hips and visible ribs. It killed Nick, even though it shouldn't. Maybe it was because it was  _his_ body that was deteriorating. Either way, Nick wasn't about to take no for an answer.

"I--" Lucifer's voice held in his throat, confusion on his face, "Thank you, Nick. I don't deserve your kindness."

_Damn right you don't,_ Nick thought bitterly. But on the outside, he at least kept it level. "There's a spare bedroom upstairs, right across from mine," he told him, "You can use that." The Devil nodded and stood, wrapping the blanket around him. 

"I think I'm going to go back to sleep," he said quietly, "I'm still rather exhausted..."

Nick nodded. "Alright. I'll see if I can find some basic foods for you to eat when you wake up."

The Devil nodded, turned to the stairs, and moved up them. Nick watched him go, realization setting in with every step that the Devil took. He had just willingly invited the Devil to live with him. He had just willingly offered the Devil care and nourishment. He had no idea what had brought Lucifer back, or why, and now he was willingly involving himself in Lucifer's problems. Again. 

_Oh god... What have I gotten myself into?_


	2. Chapter 2

Lucifer was surprisingly quiet over the next few days. He didn't leave his room much, only really to eat and use the bathroom (which Nick was very thankful that he didn't have to teach him). But other than that, the Devil just... Slept. It allowed Nick to try to continue on with his life. If he was honest, he was trying to just treat Lucifer like a house guest. A house guest that had worn (and was  _still technically wearing_ ) his body around for a year while attempting to bring about the apocalypse. Yep. Totally normal house guest. Nothing to panic about whatsoever. 

But every time Nick peaked into the Devil's room, he was piled under blankets and snoring, so he at least figured it would be safe to go to work. 

By the fourth day, Lucifer was a bit more active. He came down the stairs, hair a mess, wrapped in a blanket, still covered in dirt and blood. Nick was busy decorating his house for the approaching holiday. Halloween had always been one of Nick's favorites, and apparently even a run in with the Devil couldn't tarnish the holiday in his eyes. He was hanging up some black and orange garland when Lucifer spoke.

"What exactly are you doing?" he yawned, eyeing the other from his place on the stairs. Nick turned back to look at him, making a note to go out the next day after work and pick him up some basics and some clothes.

"I'm decorating for Halloween," Nick replied, a hint of caution in his tone.

Lucifer snorted. "You mean that watered down, humanized version of Samhain?" he asked, sitting on the steps now.

"I guess so," Nick answered, returning to the hanging of his garland, "Halloween has always been kind of a big deal to my family, like a second Christmas almost. I do up the house every year with lights and a yard and everything."  _Or, you know, I used to -- until you fucked it all up and I lost everything._ He turned to look at the other, who seemed kind of dazed and expectant. A sigh and a frown later, Nick figured out what he wanted. "You're hungry, aren't you?"

Lucifer nodded.

Nick sighed once again and stepped down off the couch, abandoning his decorating to take Lucifer to the kitchen. The Devil followed, looking more like a two year old with the way he trudged after Nick with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He pulled a box of frozen waffles out of the freezer and set them on the counter, looking at Lucifer. "Okay, listen up. I'm no maid. If you don't eat when I do, I'm not cooking for you." He held up the box of frozen waffles. "You can make these yourself, watch."

Nick took out two and pulled the toaster away from where it was nestled against the wall. He demonstrated the setting ("It needs to be on two if you want them golden and soft inside, four if you want them tan and crunchy, and six if you want them dark brown and a bit dry. Anything higher and they just burn.") and showed him how to put the waffles in and push the lever down. To his surprise, Lucifer was listening rather intently. While they cooked, Nick looked over the little list he'd made of foods he'd found the Devil liked. "There are other things you can make, in the microwave or the toaster. I'll pick some up when I go get your other things--"

"My... other things?" the other asked, his brow quirked curiously but his eyes still trained intently on the toaster. Nick wondered if he'd ever seen one before and had to restrain a laugh -- an Archangel amazed and enamored with a toaster.

"Yes, things," he replied with a nod, putting the waffles back in the freezer, "Things like a toothbrush and toothpaste, some clothes, hair brush, shower stuff... Speaking of, uh, no offense, but you literally crawled out of the ground four days ago. You reek and need to take a shower." Lucifer frowned, and Nick swore he heard a growl, but the Devil just huffed.

"I suppose you're right," he grumbled, "After I eat, show me how your shower works."

Nick nodded again. "You can use my shampoos and stuff for now," he told him, getting out a plate and syrup as the waffles got closer to completion, "You should shave too, if you know how. You've got a pretty decent amount of stubble going on."

The pop of the waffles seemed to startle him a bit, before Lucifer registered Nick's words and felt over the impressive stubble over his face. "I never quite understood facial hair," he said idly, more like he was talking to himself as opposed to his host, "It was very popular back in the day. It never made sense to me. It just seemed like it would get in the way." Nick shrugged, putting the waffles on the plate, coating them with syrup, and passing them and a fork over to Lucifer.

"There. Now you know how to make waffles," he announced, putting the syrup and toaster back before moving back to the living room, "I need to finish decorating, Lucifer. If you want more, you know how to make it."

The Devil was thoughtful and silent for a while, standing in the kitchen and holding his waffles. After a moment, he followed Nick back out into the living room and sat on the couch, plate in his lap, staring at Nick. He felt eyes on him, and turned to look at the Devil. "What do you want now?" Nick muttered, a hint of impatience in his tone.

"... tell me more about Halloween."

 

* * *

 

 

As it turned out, there were a  _lot_ of things that had changed since Lucifer last observed the holiday. This was especially apparent when Nick returned from the store with bags of candy and some costume items . He explained the dark brown, short haired wig was for Lucifer if they ever needed to go out in public together. "I can't just claim to have a twin," he'd said, "It would weird people out." Lucifer didn't like the wig, but he had a point. So after a while of adjusting it, they got it to where it looked less wig-like and more natural, and set it in Lucifer's "room" for safe keeping.

Nick continued teaching Lucifer how to cook things in the microwave, and they made surprising progress. He was also very happy he didn't need to teach Lucifer how to shower, or shave (though he  _did_ have to explain how razors and shaving cream worked), or brush his teeth. He got the Devil into some normal clothes, and eventually taught him how to work the TV. He'd come home from work some nights, Lucifer sitting on the couch, marveling at how the "little explorer" could hear him from inside the TV. 

A few days before Halloween, Nick had taken Lucifer to the store to pick up some food. Lucifer was surprisingly good in public. Though when he felt someone staring, he turned and glared at them. That usually scared them off, but Nick just ignored it. He was going over his list again when Lucifer spoke.

"I want to dress up for Halloween."

Nick looked at him in surprise. "It's October 29th, Lucifer. All the good costumes are gone." 

He frowned. "We haven't even looked. I want a costume."

After some thought, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, alright," Nick agreed, "We'll go home, drop off the food, and get you a costume." Nick himself was going to be a zombie, and he already had all his costume pieces. His yard was, for the most part, set up, and in his opinion it looked pretty damn scary. Lucifer had asked a few times what the purpose of it was, that he didn't understand why humans enjoyed being scared. "It's just fun," Nick had replied.

They got the groceries home and put away before returning to the car. Nick drove them to the nearest costume shop, thankful that it was still open, and slipped out of the car. "Nothing too expensive, okay?" he muttered, "I may have money but I'm not made of it." After all, he was shopping for two now. And to his surprise, Lucifer ate a  _lot_. Nick was pretty sure it was because Lucifer didn't understand the whole "full" part that came after hunger. He hoped it was just a phase.

They walked into the store and Nick directed Lucifer to the wall of costumes. The Devil looked surprised as he eyed them over, then laughed as his gaze lingered on a picture of someone in an Angel costume. "Is that what they think we look like?" he muttered in an amused tone, more to himself than Nick. And when he saw a  _Devil_ costume, he laughed even harder, though that sounded a bit more forced and the laughter didn't reach his eyes. "Is that what they think  _I_ look like?" 

Those words held a bit less amusement in them.

Nick wandered off to go check out some fake blood and get some last minute items, before Lucifer came over with a bundle of costumes in his hands. "I need you to hold these while I try them on," he demanded, looking at Nick seriously. The blonde sighed, nodding and taking the pile of clothes. He followed Lucifer off to the dressing room, passing him costume after costume, listening to his comments on how none of them were "realistic". Nick just snickered, more amused than annoyed at this point. Who else could say they watched the Devil freak out over the realism of Halloween costumes?

It seemed to go on forever until, finally, Lucifer announced from behind the curtain: "I've found it."

He stepped out dressed in a red and black suit. White undershirt, red velvet vest and cuffs, black coat and slacks, and a sheer black neck ruffle. It fit his form in one of the most flattering ways Nick had ever seen, and he was surprised at how greedily his eyes took in the image. The Devil gave a turn, allowing Nick to take in every detail, and Nick was increasingly startled by how eagerly he did so. He looked... He looked  _good_.

"So? What do you think?"

Nick blinked a few times and cleared his throat. "It's perfect. A vampire is always a good choice," he agreed, smiling a bit, "Alright, you change, I'll get the rejected costumes put away, and we'll meet at the register." Lucifer smiled a bit as well and nodded, making his way back into the changing room while Nick forced his head to get back together. He muttered things like "You don't get to think the Devil is hot" and "You're not gay, Nick, stop thinking like that" under his breath as he put the costumes away. He gathered a few accessories for Lucifer's costume (fangs, a cane, a hat, red contacts, a cape) and put them in the basket with his own things.

They met up at the register and Nick paid, Lucifer looking at him intensely as he did so. He wondered what was going on in that ancient head of his to make him stare like that. He doubted he'd ever know. But it would have been nice to. 

They gathered their things and made for the car, and once they were inside, Lucifer turned to Nick. "I have to thank you again, Nick," he said, then held up a hand before Nick could protest, "You are caring for me even though I... Well, even though you don't need to. You are allowing me to participate in human traditions. You feed me, give me a warm bed. I mean it... Thank you."

Nick looked at him quietly for a moment, then nodded. "Well... You're welcome," he said with a small smile, "Let's just hope you get your Grace back soon, okay?" Lucifer returned the small smile and nod, buckling his seatbelt (as he had been told this was very a important thing to do) and settling in his seat. Nick pulled out of the lot and drove for home, happy that Lucifer had decided to celebrate after all -- and very confused as to why he was happy about  _anything_ to do with Lucifer in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Lucifer's costume, in case my description was horrible xD  
> http://images.esellerpro.com/3239/I/24/21323.jpg  
> http://images.esellerpro.com/3239/I/24/21323_a1.jpg


	3. Chapter 3

Lucifer did surprisingly well with his microwave meals. He only burned one (as far as Nick was aware), and seemed to like them quite a bit. In fact, he liked them so much that he finished them all in about two days, and Nick had to explain to Lucifer that he only went shopping  _once_ a week, and that was that. But Halloween was a special occasion, and Nick ordered them a pizza to eat before they set up for the night. He'd ordered a cheese and a pepperoni, unsure which Lucifer would prefer. Call Nick lame all you want, but the man was a sucker for plain cheese pizza and he'd defend it to the death. He had the music station playing tacky Halloween music, and at the moment  _Witch Doctor_ by David Seville was pumping perkily through the speakers.

Nick had been bustling about like a madman all day, getting everything ready, finishing the decorations, getting the candy. Lucifer had simply been sitting on the couch, drinking the Candy Corn Punch (a drink layered with orange soda, yellow Gatorade, and Vitamin Water) that Nick had made and watching the other run around like a chicken with no head. Lucifer concluded that he'd never seen anyone so stressed out, not even his Father. But judging by the way Nick spoke of Halloween, it was a big deal to him and he wanted it to be perfect. He entered with another armful of candy when Lucifer finally spoke up. "You, uh... You need any help?"

He looked over at the Devil when he spoke, his brow furrowed, his thoughts seemingly on something else. "I uh, sure, yea, help'd be great," he told him with a nod, "I need you to start putting the candy into the bowls. Three bags a bowl, they're big enough." He set the bags he'd just brought in down before going to get the others and the stack of bowls from the kitchen. Nick didn't give out two or three pieces, no. He gave out  _handfuls_ of candy to the kids. They practically  _swarm_ to his house, and he used to have some friends who would swarm around the house in costume to scare them as they raced for candy. But then his life went to literal hell, and he had to move away from all that. _  
_

But he was getting there at his new job. He was making new friends, though none that he really trusted enough to have over -- especially not with Lucifer there. That was just it, though, he had Lucifer there. At least  _one_ person who could help. "How do you feel about scaring kids?"

Lucifer blinked a few times, pouring candy into the bowls as he'd been instructed. "I uh... I'm not quite sure how you want me to answer that."

Nick sighed. "I used to have people in costume running around outside, chasing the kids and scaring them. Nothing too heavy, y'know, just running after them growling and snarling saying things like 'I'm going to eat you!' and stuff. Everyone always got a kick from it," he explained, a sad fondness in his eyes before he looked back at Lucifer, "I was wondering if you would want to do that. So you don't have to just sit around and get bored."

Lucifer considered it a moment before nodding. "Sure. Yea, I could do that. It could be fun." A small smile tugged at his lips, and Nick couldn't stop himself from just barely returning it before scolding himself mentally.  _Do not smile at the Devil. Do not smile at the thing that ruined your life_.

"Time?" Nick asked, getting right back to work. Lucifer looked over at the clock, announcing that it was four thirty. Nick knew the trick-or-treaters would start showing up about five, so he finished up the last decorations and got everything ready, before coming in and announcing it was time to get into costume. He slipped on his clothes while Lucifer did the same. He'd need to help the other out with the details and make up of his costume, so he waited to do his own. He sat Lucifer down and got his fangs in, his contacts, and did his make up. A bit of fake blood and he sent the Devil off to admire himself while Nick did his own make up.

"Damn," the Devil muttered, grinning, "I look pretty good." Nick chuckled, slipping in a contact lens that whited out his eye before starting on his own make up.

"So prideful," he snickered, casting Lucifer a glance. He had to admit, though, Lucifer looked pretty great. "The red eyes are  _definitely_ more Devil worthy."

Lucifer snorted. "Come on now, you say that like I'm made of fire," he snickered, "You and I know very well that I'm as ice cold as my eyes."

There was a bit of a pause after that, a silence that Lucifer didn't like and Nick didn't want to acknowledge. They both went back to their respective activities, and the rest of the time was spent in silence.

The first doorbell ring of the night had Nick flying down the stairs like a man possessed, practically knocking Lucifer over in the process. He opened the door and beamed at the three children at the door. He shoveled handfuls of candy into their bags, saying they got special privilege for being the "first trick-or-treaters of the night", and spent a few minutes talking with them about their costumes. The kids then waved and smiled, he waved to them and to their parent, and shut the door as they went off. Lucifer just stood and watched Nick in slight awe. When he noticed, Nick shrugged. "What?"

"You're just... Really good with kids," Lucifer commented, making Nick scratch the back of his head with slight awkwardness.

"Well... I  _was_ a dad at one point, Lucifer," he said quietly. Lucifer remembered with a hint of sadness tangled with the memory. To see Nick so excited and good with children, then to remember he had, in fact, lost his own... That silence from earlier was back. 

But it didn't last long as the doorbell rang again and Nick was once again smiling. "Seems like we should get set up outside, yea?" he suggested. The Devil nodded and Nick grabbed the first bowl of candy. He opened the door and without Nick's prompting, Lucifer sprung out and growled playfully at the kids, making them squeal and giggle. He then slunk out into the yard while Nick passed out the candy and talked to them about their costumes. And the night went on like that, Lucifer scaring the kids and Nick spoiling them with candy and complements. Lucifer noticed that at some point during the night, a girl dressed like an Angel with black wings lingered around Nick and they talked for quite a while. 

But then she left, and the night carried on, and it was actually one of the best Halloweens Nick had ever had. Easily on the top five. And one of the best parts was watching Lucifer scamper around and chase the kids. But then slowly, the night began winding down, and the trick-or-treaters became many to few to none. Nick gathered the decorations he'd put out that day and put them in the garage, turned off all the lights, and called Lucifer inside. They still had about a bowl of candy left, which Nick was proud of. He'd done all his counting well.

"Hey, how about we watch some scary movies and eat this candy?" Nick suggested as he shut the front door behind Lucifer, who was slightly sweaty and breathing a bit hard from all the running he'd done. But the ex-Archangel looked happier than Nick had ever seen a person, practically glowing. Lucifer nodded, looking to the kitchen. "I think we still have some punch and pizza, too," Lucifer said, almost bouncing, "I could bring it in and we could splurge on all three?" Nick laughed and nodded, and the Devil zoomed into the kitchen to gather the spoils. 

Nick set the bowl of candy on the couch and picked out a few horror movies; _The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Shining._ What could he say, haunted little kids were creepy. The longer he thought about it, though, the more nervous he was that  _The Exorcist_ would leave a bad taste in Lucifer's mouth, so he swapped it out for _Dawn of the Dead_. He made a mental note that it was probably a bad idea to watch anything with Lucifer that put the Devil in a bad light, at least until he knew how he felt on the topic. If his reaction at the costume shop was anything, then it was a slightly touchy subject still. _  
_

Lucifer returned, the two boxes of pizza in one hand and the ingredients for punch and two cups in the other. He was beaming with excitement, sitting down on the other side of the candy bowl. He place the pepperoni pizza in front of himself (Lucifer found he liked both cheese _and_ pepperoni, but since Nick only liked cheese, he thought it polite to eat the pepperoni) and the cheese in front of Nick on the coffee table, with the punch ingredients in the middle. Nick started  _Dawn of the Dead_ , explaining it all to Lucifer each time the Devil had a question -- which, unsurprisingly enough, he had quite a few. 

The night wore on, the pizza boxes were empty, the punch was almost gone and the bowl of candy half devoured. Half way through  _The Shining_ , Nick and Lucifer passed out on the couch, heads eventually resting against one another as the sound of their soft breathing filled the room.                                                                                           

* * *

 

The next day, Nick woke up feeling lazy and lethargic. He'd slept in his costume and his make up, most of which was smeared all over his face. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Lucifer, sleeping quietly beside him. He looked oddly... peaceful. More so than Nick had ever seen him. He looked calm almost happy, a ghost of a smile on his unconscious lips. It drew a smile on Nick's own lips, before he shifted off the couch. The menu screen was playing, and Nick wondered how many times it'd played on repeat that night. He shut it off and cleaned up the empty pizza boxes, starting to tidy up the living room. He put the bowl of candy and the punch in the kitchen, and when he saw Lucifer was  _still_ asleep, he covered him with a blanket and moved up to his own bedroom.

Nick got out of his costume, set it aside, and got in the shower. It was a chore to scrub off the make up after he'd let it set all night on his face, but when he finally got it off, he felt refreshed and clean. Today would be busy, the chore of cleaning up all the Halloween decorations and tucking them away for next year, starting to plan what he was going to do for Thanksgiving, and, of course, shooting out to all the stores to score some insanely discounted Halloween gear and candy. That was the best part. 

He dressed and made his way downstairs, where Lucifer had apparently just woken up, stretching and popping his back as he did so. "Morning Vampira," Nick teased with a chuckle. Lucifer frowned, rolling his eyes. Grumbling that he was off to shower, the Devil moved up the stairs and shut his door behind him. Nick made breakfast, deciding to cook for them both. Eggs, waffles, coffee, oatmeal with candy corn in it instead of sugar. Everything was ready and Nick had just sat down when Lucifer clambered down the stairs in sweats and a tee shirt. He grinned at the sight of the breakfast laid out for him and started eating right away.

"You wanna help me take things down today?" he asked Lucifer over his coffee. The Devil looked up at him with a bit of a sad expression.

"You're... You're taking it down already?" Lucifer asked, going surprisingly sheepish, "I was kinda hoping we could maybe... You know... Leave it up a bit longer..."

Nick was surprised. He had guessed that Lucifer had grown to like Halloween, but he didn't think he'd like it  _that_ much. But the sheepish nature of the Devil made Nick smile a bit and give a small nod. Why not? "Sure, Lucifer... We can leave the decorations up for a few more days."

Lucifer smiled like he did the night before, and Nick was pretty sure his heart melted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, more notes! Haha ~
> 
> Candy Corn Punch is a real thing! I saw it on Pintrest many moons ago and decided it was DEFINITELY something Nick would make. 
> 
> The recipe is here if you want it~ http://www.highheelsandgrills.com/candy-corn-punch/ 
> 
> Also, here's a link to the Witch Doctor song, in case anyone was curious~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBPmi-C2KRM
> 
> Also, I know this is a bit shorter than the other ones, but I wanted to get something Halloweeny out before the end of the month ~!


	4. Chapter 4

Thanksgiving had always been one of Nick's top five holidays. All the food, and a whole day dedicated to eating it. When he married Sarah, they would always talk about all the Thanksgivings they'd have -- all the kids and the family, piled into one house, trying to fit at one table, the whole house full of laughter and warmth. When Nick dreamed of Sarah, that was often what he saw. The warm house, the laughter, their kids playing with cousins and aunts and uncles laughing over some ridiculous joke. Sarah and their mothers in the kitchen while Nick prepped the table. But he would always wake up and remember that no, he was alone on Thanksgiving. Sarah and his little girl were gone. There was nothing left to be thankful  _for._ So Nick often spent the day in silence.

Not this year, though. Lucifer had taken to attending shopping trips with Nick; either because he felt the need to do his part or he was genuinely curious about grocery stores, Nick had no idea. But about a week after Halloween, the turkeys started coming out and the holiday decorations appeared, and the Devil was understandably confused. "What's with the giant birds?" he asked casually one day, staring at a paper turkey hanging from the ceiling as Nick put things into the cart.

Nick didn't even look up. "It's for Thanksgiving," he explained, his tone a bit flat as he did so. This caught Lucifer's attention, and the ex-Angel looked at the other with quiet curiosity. Nick never usually seemed so... _down_. After all, he'd just seen the man practically blow his lid with excitement for Halloween. What changed? It wasn't anything  _he_ had done, was it? And why did that matter to him either way? What mattered in his mind was his host was upset by something, and that was the extent of it. Right? _  
_

"And, uh... What exactly is Thanksgiving?"

He turned to the other then, a strange look on his face. He obviously thought the Devil was joking, but by the sincere confusion on his face, Nick realized that Lucifer was serious. "You really  _were_ underground for a long time, weren't you?" he said, trying to bring out a joke to relax himself. He'd been too stiff, and if the way Lucifer was looking at him meant anything, the other had noticed. "Well, it celebrates something from a long time ago that I'm not going to get into right now," he said, "You can read about that all on the internet. But at Thanksgiving time, families usually get together and celebrate the good things in their lives, namely each other."

_Oh_.

That was when it clicked for Lucifer, the reason for Nick's sadness. He didn't have a family. He'd lost his wife and daughter, and the rest of his family believed he was dead. It had to have been hard to celebrate such a happy time without the two people that meant the most to him. Now he had no family to celebrate with, either. And while the death of his daughter and wife weren't his fault (though the other part certainly was), he felt _bad_. His heart broke for Nick, knowing that this poor man had had to suffer this holiday on his own. The silence between them wasn't awkward, just sad. There was nothing to say. Lucifer had lost his family, sure -- but they had  _willingly_ cast him out. Nick's family was  _taken_ from him.

They continued shopping in silence, only talking when Nick asked Lucifer to fetch this or that.

 

* * *

 

 

Lucifer didn't rest that night. In fact, he hardly slept for the next week, digging through history books, through movies, absorbing everything he could about Thanksgiving. He would do something nice for Nick. The man deserved it. The sorrow in his heart was too great for even Lucifer to bear. While Nick was at work, Lucifer spent  _hours_ going through recipes, picking out things that looked easy enough for him to handle on his own. The ingredient list was atrocious and Nick would  _definitely_ notice that much cash missing from his bank account.

So when the day came and Nick was away at work, Lucifer took some money (he'd  _asked_ Nick for some, claiming he wanted to go buy himself some warmer sweaters) and went down to the grocery store to buy everything premade. He'd been around Nick in the grocery store long enough to know how it worked, though he still had an issue with counting the money itself, and wound up handing the whole wad of cash to the cashier, who had to explain to Lucifer that he was required to give him his change.  _  
_

Back at Nick's, the Devil started setting up the table. He set out a bunch of plates, glasses, forks and knives. Nick had a cup and plate set, but no fancy napkins or silverware like he'd seen in the movies. So Lucifer improvised, leaving lots of dishes mismatched and clumsy looking. He put out all the warm food he'd just bought, the corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, rolls, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, applesauce, veggies, and, of course, the turkey. He lit candles, poured wine, and even figured out how to use the CD player to put on some Bing Crosby Christmas.

When Nick came home, he was exhausted. Lately, work had been kicking his ass, and to his surprise it was even  _busier_ today. He took off his coat and hung it up, before pausing. He heard... music? And what was that amazing smell? The man followed his nose, leading him to the kitchen. There was Lucifer, looking awfully proud as he stood over what could only be described as a Rockwell-worthy Thanksgiving feast. He stared in shock for a moment, blinking from the food to the Devil and back again, his mouth hanging open just the slightest bit. "Did... Did  _you_ do all of this?"

Lucifer opened his mouth to say that, yes, he  _did_ cook all of this delicious food, just for pride's sake -- but something stopped him. "I bought it at the store while you were at work," he told him instead, "I did some looking up on the tradition of Thanksgiving, and it seems that any group of any number can celebrate it." He gave a small smile, looking almost  _bashful_ at his own words. Nick smiled a bit as well, sitting at one end of the table while Lucifer sat at the other. They piled food onto their plates, and before Lucifer could dig in, Nick held up his glass. _  
_

"I honestly cannot believe I'm saying this," Nick said, sounding truly in disbelief of himself, "But to the Devil, for being the most surprisingly considerate house guest I've ever had." He toasted and drank, and Lucifer smiled a bit.

"To Nick," he responded, "Who by all rights should hate my guts, but had enough kindness in his heart to let me in anyway." Lucifer toasted and drank, pleased with the light dusting of color on Nick's cheeks.

They continued on with surprising happiness. They chatted, laughed, drank, ate. The food was surprisingly amazing, and Nick was pretty sure he'd be having the best leftovers for  _days_. When they finished, and Lucifer brought out a warm apple pie, Nick was starting to feel... better. It was therapeutic, almost. He had spent so long avoiding this day that, now that he was sharing it with someone, it wasn't so bad. In fact, Nick  _enjoyed_ it. Sure, it was with the Devil and not his family, but wasn't family just a relative term? Wasn't family just people you loved and trusted and laughed with? Wasn't family more than just blood?

Nick helped Lucifer clean up, and they stood at the sink, one washing the dishes, one putting them in the drying rack. There was a comfortable lull in the conversation, and Nick spoke. "Sarah and I--" He had to stop for a moment before continuing. "Sarah and I used to watch  _It's A Wonderful Life_ after Thanksgiving dinner," he said quietly, a sad smile on his lips as he focused on the plate he was putting away, "I was wondering if, after we finish cleaning up, you'd want to watch it with me."

Lucifer looked at Nick, and Nick looked at Lucifer, and for the first time a bit of warmth blossomed through both of them. Lucifer's smile was warm and soft, and Nick's was sad but hopeful. "That's the one about the man and the Angels and how he wished he was never born, right?" he asked softly, and Nick nodded, "Alright. We can watch it together." 

Nick smiled a bit wider, a bit happier, and they continued cleaning up the dishes -- not noticing that their sides were gently pressed against the other's the whole time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY THANKSGIVING, AMERICAN FRIENDS!
> 
> Being American myself, I'd feel kinda bad NOT including a Thanksgiving chapter. So, naturally, here it is. With a heaping helping of feels!!!
> 
> I'm so thankful for each and every one of you. My story's had over 60 views! That's more than any story I've ever written!! I'm also thankful for Kay, Bex, and both the Nicks I follow and roleplay with on Tumblr. Thank you for your support and your humor and helping me with this story!


	5. Chapter 5

December rolled in, and things were, admittedly, cozier in Nick's household. The Thanksgiving dinner had done more for him than he'd realized, especially since he had his decorations out of the garage and ready to be put up by the first, something that hadn't happened since he was married. Lucifer, too, had been getting into the spirit -- which  _definitely_ surprised Nick. Lucifer had insisted that the Birth of Christ couldn't have been in December if there were shepherds out, and therefore had been moved to December by the Church to take the place of Yule, and further still, the pagan celebration had been around longer than Christianity had, and therefore allowed Lucifer to celebrate it without  _necessarily_ having to celebrate the birth of his "step-brother", as he not-so-fondly put it. It all got too ethical and confusing for Nick, so he just left the Devil with his reasons to celebrate as he pleased. "Besides," Lucifer would add on, "You do not even  _need_ the religion aspect, if my research proves correct. One can just celebrate the tree and presents and leave the annual sacrifice for the Santa Claus."

Nick always had to hold back laughter when he had to explain to Lucifer that leaving milk and cookies was not a "sacrifice."

But as the holidays went on, things at work got busier, and he'd come home later. On the twelfth, there was a Christmas party at his office. He'd debated on inviting Lucifer, but decided the Devil could do with a night on his own. So he'd gone, more than happy to mingle with coworkers (aka, other human beings) for a change. A girl that worked with him, named Baby, was there as well. Nick and Baby always had a great time; they always made each other laugh. And while Nick hated the tacky office Christmas parties, he'd go simply because his friend was there. He'd barely been there five minutes before she found him.

"Hey, Nicky! You made it!" she beamed, passing him a red Solo cup of eggnog. Nick smiled at the petite brunette, chuckling.

"I told you not to call me Nicky," he said, his stern tone clearly false, "If you do it,  _everyone_ will do it, then I'll  _never_ get them to shut up." He chuckled again, rolling his eyes. " _You_ certainly look festive." She wore a red Santa dress, complete with hat and bells and striped stockings. She waved off his words and grinned.

"What? This? These are my PJs," Baby responded offhandedly, laughter in her green eyes, "I'm just wearing them now so I can go  _right_ to sleep after this dumb party's over."

"Don't let them hear you say that, you might not get your Christmas Bonus."

"Oh, bite me, Lambert."

The night went on like that: playful back and forth, laughter. Nick relaxed for the first time in a long time, though every now and again thoughts would go to Lucifer, hoping he was alright, hoping he hadn't burned the house down. But in a laugh or a joke from Baby, the worry was gone, his mind brought back to the party. His company pulled out all the stops: raffles, White Elephant gifts, a Santa for the kids, and all sorts of Christmas goodies that he made sure to pile on a plate to bring home to Lucifer. But eventually, as all things must do, the party ended. He walked Baby to her car, they hugged and waved goodbye with a promise to see each other on Monday, and he was off to his own car. 

Nick went home deciding he was really glad he'd gone.

When he came home, he scrunched his nose. Something smelled... burned.  _Very_ burned. There was faint cursing coming from the kitchen, and as usual, Nick followed the sound. There was Lucifer, standing over a pot and stirring, frowning angrily at a recipe card. He was almost nervous to ask what Lucifer had been trying to make. The Devil heard Nick's footsteps and turned to look at him, that frustrated look still on his face. "I was trying to make fudge," he announced, "I found a recipe on the Interspider that seemed relatively simple. But apparently I cannot cook twice as fast if I change the stove temperature from 350 to 700. It will just burn the fudge."

He just stared at Lucifer for a moment before laughing. Not only did the ex-Archangel look like a pouty child, but the whole situation just made him laugh. Nick was still laughing as he came closer, turning off the stove. He managed to peek into the pot and laugh even  _harder_ , the substance in the pot looking very much like coal instead of fudge. He had to lean against the counter, practically in tears with laughter. Lucifer, on the other hand, crossed his arms and looked down and away, a hint of upset in his stand-offish appearance. He'd been trying really hard, almost all night. And when Nick realized this, he slowly made himself settle down, before coming closer and gently resting his hand on Lucifer's shoulder.

"Hey," he said, still grinning, "Start small, okay? Try hot cocoa first. Hot milk, and a packet. Super simple." Lucifer was still upset looking. "And I'm sure the fudge would have tasted delicious." 

Lucifer lightened up a bit at that, nodding quietly. "Hot cocoa first. It seems relatively simple." Then again, he'd said that about the fudge, too. But this only had two ingredients, and from the recipes he'd glanced at, it only required warming the milk.

Nick nodded. "It is, I promise," he said, then chuckled, "Also, it's  _Interweb_ , or _Internet_ , not _Interspider_."

Lucifer actually  _blushed_ slightly. "Oh. Noted."

Nick grinned slightly, shaking his head. "Come on. I'll help you clean up."

* * *

By the time the twenty third rolled around, Lucifer had made twenty two cups of hot cocoa -- one in the morning, one in the evening. He was determined to make the perfect cup without a recipe. But he'd add too much milk or cocoa or sugar or he'd burn it. But every day, every time Lucifer came to him with a cup, Nick would stop whatever he was doing and taste it. And no matter how bad it tasted, Nick would smile at him, thank him, finish the mug, then proceed to say, "I can't wait to see how it tastes tomorrow." Lucifer knew it was a bad cup by the lack of praise it received. So he'd go back and try again. Sometimes he'd spend all day working on a batch.

The day of Christmas Eve arrived, and Baby and Nick exchanged presents at work. Naturally, it was just gift cards, but definitely for things they enjoyed. Baby had been given a rather hefty gift card to the Cheesecake factory, since Nick knew her weakness for sweets, and Baby had given Nick a two month membership to his favorite sandwich shop. The two were foodies, they wouldn't lie. And when they both saw they'd received food gifts, they laughed and joked about it the rest of the day. 

Nick had gotten a tree. The house was decorated, of course, but he went the extra mile with the tree. It had beautiful lights, ornaments (most of which he managed to get from his old home), and a star on the top. Nick was usually a more traditional Angel-on-top kinda guy, but with an ex-Angel in his home, it didn't seem very appropriate. His favorite ornament was from when he and Sarah first got married. It had their anniversary on it, in a heart, and he hung it close to the top. His second favorite was a footprint ornament of his daughter's foot when she was born, and her handprint on the back with her birth date written on it. He treasured them.

Nick sat with Lucifer, forcing down that evening's batch of (terrible) hot cocoa, both of them staring at the empty tree. 

"It's supposed to be full of presents," Lucifer said quietly, almost sadly. Nick turned to him, his brow furrowed.

"Huh?" he asked, looking back over to the tree, "The tree? It's okay. I'm too old for presents, anyway. And there's not much I want. Shopping for me used to be impossible."  _Used to_ , because there used to be people who gave him gifts. Used to be family and friends. And so far, all Nick had in this new life was Baby and the Devil. Great start. 

Lucifer sighed. "I wish I could get you a present," he said quietly, drawing a surprised look from Nick.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he said softly, "You haven't burned my house down -- that's preset enough."

Lucifer smiled slightly, and Nick returned it, before they both looked over at the tree. "It's very beautiful, Nick," he said, his voice reverent, "The tree. Sarah would be proud."

It was the first time Lucifer had ever spoken of Sarah. Whenever Nick thought about it, he thought he would be  _angry_ at the Devil for daring to mention his lost wife's name. But now? He just found himself feeling warm, smiling sadly and nodding. "Yea... She would've," Nick replied quietly, "Probably would have told me to put more tinsel on, though... She loved tinsel. And fake snow. Man, our first Christmas, she got that spray on fake snow for the tree... Let's just say it wound up everywhere  _but_ the tree. The can got knocked over and it  _exploded_ on the floor. We were laughing so hard we cried while we cleaned it up." He had wet eyes, but was smiling warmly at the fond memory. "We never got it all out. There was a huge white stain on the carpet ever since."

The Devil watched him relive the memory in respectful silence. When it seemed Nick was done, Lucifer softly rest a hand on his shoulder. Nick looked at him and gave a soft, thankful smile. It had been a long time since he had been able to share any form of memory about Sarah and  _not_ break down sobbing. "Let's go to bed," Lucifer suggested tenderly, "Tomorrow's Christmas. And don't worry -- I already left Santa his sacrifice."

* * *

Nick woke that morning rather slowly. There was no real reason to get up in the morning, it was mostly for nostalgia's sake. That, and he'd promised to make cinnamon rolls for him and Lucifer to enjoy. He made his way down the steps, yawning and stretching, surprised to find all the lights on and a few presents under the tree. They were badly wrapped, which left no secret as to who had gotten them, and he smiled as he heard someone in the kitchen. When he entered, he was surprised by what he saw. There was Lucifer, standing in the kitchen at the stove, in nothing but sweatpants and a Santa hat. More than likely, this was what the Devil had gone to sleep in, but usually Lucifer was dressed by the time he came downstairs.

Odder still, were the six vertical lines on his back, going down in rows of two. The top two were the largest, going from just under the base of his neck to the bottom of his shoulder blades. The bottom two were, naturally, the smallest, maybe about half a foot each, just above the small of his back. They looked like burn scars, risen above the skin and red. Before Nick knew what he was doing, one of his fingers were brushing over the smaller scars. Lucifer jumped and turned, almost nose to nose with Nick, a startled look on his face. Nick flushed and looked down and away.

"Sorry! Sorry, I just..." Nick hesitated for a moment, before clearing his throat. "Is that where...?"

Lucifer gave a small, sad smile. "Where my wings were. Yes," he replied quietly, "Normally, I keep the scars hidden. But the tradition is to enjoy Christmas morning in your pajamas, yes? And did you see? Our Santa-ntic sacrifice worked! You have some presents under the tree!"

Nick's heart melted at the sight of him. How could this creature have been the Devil? If he hadn't seen it all first hand, he wouldn't have believed it. This being, who made him Thanksgiving dinner, who had spent the past twelve days trying to make him the perfect cup of hot cocoa, who had gotten him Christmas presents likely sometime after Nick had gone to sleep and claimed them to be from Santa... How could he have been the same wicked and cruel and careless being that had possessed Nick all that time ago?

Lucifer poured cocoa into a mug and, as usual, handed it to Nick. And, as usual, Nick took a cautious sip. Only this time... His eyes widened. "Don't change a thing," he murmured, a smile on his lips, "This is the  _perfect_ cup of cocoa." And he meant it, genuinely. Lucifer had managed to produce the perfect cup. It might have taken him twenty three tries, but he'd done it. And god, Nick had never seen any being look prouder than Lucifer did in that moment -- or smile any wider, for that matter. 

Lucifer poured himself a mug and smiled at Nick. "We should get those cinnamon rolls into the oven," he commented, "Then we can open your presents from Santa while we wait for them to cool. Then maybe after, we can watch some more of those old Christmas movies while we drink more cocoa?" 

Nick smiled, and nodded. "Sounds perfect," he said quietly, "Merry Christmas, Lucifer."

Something twinkled in the Devil's eye. Something warm, and happy, and _alive_. "Merry Christmas to you too, Nick," Lucifer replied softly, just faintly aware of Nick's fingers still idly tracing over his smaller scars at the base of his back.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay. On top of just starting a new job, I've been super sick D: So I apologize if literally nothing makes sense, or this chapter is short, or what have you. D: 
> 
> Also, this will be the last chapter that will coincide with real time, seeing as things really pick up after this, and I'd hate to have you all waiting MONTHS for new chapters! xD
> 
> Anyway, happy new year, and enjoy! <3

_Ooh, but in case I stand one little chance_  
Here comes the jackpot question in advance:  
What are you doing New Year's  
New Year's Eve...

The song played through the living room, soft and low background noise. The TV was on, though on mute, the screen showing Times Square and the giant ball itself, the countdown on the screen showing little more than ten minutes to go until it dropped. Lucifer sat on the couch, a festive hat on his head and "2016" glasses on his face. Nick was returning with champagne to drink and another pizza to enjoy. Man, the Devil sure likes his pizza... 

Nick also wore a festive hat, though no glasses for him. He sat down beside Lucifer and handed him the new glass of champagne. They'd been drinking since about 8 PM, and though they weren't throwing them back, they'd gone through two and a half bottles so far. And it was no surprise that Lucifer, who had never before had to deal with a human metabolism, was thoroughly and completely  _drunk_. And to Nick, who was equally tipsy, it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen. Lucifer would go off on these rants about human things, like stop lights and Twinkies and old traditions he'd seen in his research. 

Eight minutes on the countdown now. Nick popped one of those bacon wrapped mini-weenies into his mouth and chewed happily. On the TV screen, the hosts were chatting and joking about who they'd be kissing on New Years. "Sarah used 't hate that tradition," he said, speech slurred just slightly from his drunkenness, "The kissin' thing. She said it was stupid 'n cliched. But we did it anyway." He chuckled. "She used 't buy those gag chapsticks, y'know the ones that taste really bad? She'd put 'em on to try 'n discourage me, but every year I'd tell 'er, I'd say, 'Now Sarah, I'm a man 'f tradition, ain't no chap stick y' can put on that'll change that.' It turned into a game. It was fun."

Lucifer was glad that Nick didn't look upset at this story about Sarah -- it may have been the alcohol, of course, but either way. The Devil's brow furrowed as he turned to Nick. "Why  _do_ people kiss on New Years?" he asked, before chugging down about half his champagne in one go. Nick opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He repeated this twice before shrugging. "I dunno," he replied, "'s just... Somethin' people do, I guess. Maybe 's for good luck or somethin'..." Lucifer considered it. It could have been for luck. It could have just been just because. Either way, it seemed like a strange and fun tradition.

"I've never had a New Years kiss," he said quietly. Five minutes on the count down now. 

Nick turned to him and smiled warmly. "'m sure you will at some point," he replied, pausing for a sip of his own drink, "As long as you can get past that whole 'I hate humans' thing." They laughed, Nick's arm resting on the sofa behind Lucifer. The ex-Angel smiled warmly at Nick after he sobered up, watching him laugh for a few moments before nodding.

"I think I'm starting to," Lucifer replied softly, neither noticing the way their thighs touched. Two minutes on the clock now.

Nick smiled at him, nodding his head. "Good. You'll get pretty far in this world if y' don't wanna murder everyone y' meet," he teased softly, deciding he liked the way Lucifer's breath smelled as it fanned over his face. The Devil took off the dorky "2016" glasses so he could look at Nick, that clumsy smile on his face still. Thirty seconds left.

"That seems like a pretty lonely life," Lucifer joked softly in return, the tickle of Nick's hair against his forehead making his smile grow slightly. 

_Five... Four... Three... Two... One..._

It wasn't quite clear who started it. Who leaned in first. It was likely both of them. But when the clock struck 12, Lucifer and Nick's lips found each other. Eyes closed as hands gently cradled each other's cheeks, holding the other close as lips moved tenderly against each other. Lucifer had never truly kissed anyone before, so he followed Nick's lead. A soft part of lips, a soft tease of tongue, a tender deep kiss. Fingers curling gently in hair, a soft exhale of breath. It was an amazing feeling that shot through them, a mixture of fireworks and butterflies. A feeling that could never be recreated, they were sure. This was a once and a life time kiss. A kiss that felt like being whole again.

Slowly, so slowly, they pulled apart, eyes closed and resting their foreheads against each other. Thumbs stroked over cheeks, and a smile tugged at both lips. 

"Happy New Year, Lucifer," Nick breathed.

"Happy New Year, Nick," Lucifer returned softly.

After a moment or two, their lips cautiously found one another again, this time with a bit more heat to them. A bit more pressure, a bit more insistence. Nick guided Lucifer back onto the couch, one hand supporting him while the other cradled the back of Lucifer's head. The Devil's fingers held into Nick's hair, and testingly, he probed into Nick's mouth with his tongue. Nick was surprised to find that Lucifer did, in fact, have a forked tongue -- and it was this discovery that made the ex-vessel pull away laughing, face pressed into Lucifer's neck. The Devil seemed to pick up on the situation quickly, and soon, he was laughing too.

"Surprise," he teased, nosing at Nick's temple.

"Surprise indeed," Nick chuckled, softly brushing a hand down Lucifer's side. One more brief kiss and Nick sat up, looking at Lucifer. "Welp, I'm as drunk as a... Uh... Really drunk thing. Too drunk to think of somethin' funny to say," he laughed, "We better head to bed."

A slow kind of realization came over Lucifer's face. "People do weird things when they're drunk, don't they?" he said quietly, "Things they wouldn't usually do?"

The subtlety of the question brushed right over drunk Nick's head. "Oh yea! Once, Sarah and I did this thing, where we..." His words continued as he made his way up the stairs, no longer caring if Lucifer was trailing behind him or not. Lucifer still sat on the couch, a bit of sadness in his eyes. Nick... Nick was drunk. Why would he kiss Lucifer otherwise? He sighed, standing and slowly removing his party hat. Tomorrow, he decided, he would pretend the kiss never happened. Nick would likely not remember it, so it would be best not to bring it up. After all,  _why_ would Nick kiss him? He was drunk, and that was the end of it.

Lucifer shut off the TV, the lights, and quietly made his way up to bed.

Meanwhile, Nick laid in his own bed, wide eyed and silent and it finally dawned on him that he had made out with the Devil -- and  _liked_ it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also! The song that plays at the beginning is What Are You Doing New Years Eve, sung in the style of Ella Fitzgerald. You can find it here if you'd like to listen <3   
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdfzNMV52Q


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry there's such a delay between chapters! Between me writing the last chapter and this one, I wound up getting a job! So that's been keeping me very busy xD But I'm trying my best! <33

The days after were spent with a strange type of tenseness, a kind of awkwardness that they danced around.

Nick didn't bring up the kiss because, well, he wanted to pretend it was a dream. It was all that made sense in his mind. Why would the _Devil_ , the ultimate human hater _himself_ , kiss him? Sure, Nick could  _maybe_ believe they'd become friends. Lucifer was definitely kinder to him and more helpful. But anything beyond that? Nick decided it was wishful thinking -- which, honestly, was even more confusing than if the kiss had actually happened. Nick had always thought himself your average straight man. He'd never been attracted to men, not even when he was younger. One could argue that Nick liked Lucifer because they had the same face and body, but Nick wasn't very into looks. He liked a pretty face, sure, but that part of the attraction usually came after Nick fell for the person's personality.

Lucifer didn't bring up the kiss because he'd thought Nick had done it on accident. A drunken impulse brought on by loneliness, an old longing for his "tradition", and the giddiness brought on by being close to someone again. He didn't think it held any meaning, or that Nick even _remembered_ it. Lucifer was, after all,  _the Devil_. And while he hadn't taken Sarah and his child from him, he  _did_ pretty much ruin Nick's life. Why would Nick have  _any_ interest in him? Sure, if Lucifer squint his eyes and wished  _really_ hard, maybe he could see them as friends. But he wouldn't forget what he'd done to Nick, and often times, he took Nick's kindness as pity. It was times like this when he wished he was an Angel again, that he could use his powers to see what was going on inside Nick's head. He wanted to figure this all out. Human emotions were complicated.

By the middle of the month, though, the awkwardness had died down for the most part. Things were slowly getting back to normal: Lucifer was watching his shows again and doing his research, Nick was relaxed at work again. Enough, in fact, to vent a bit about his troubles to Baby at work. 

"I just don't get it," he frowned, running a hand through sandy hair. He'd let her know all about his "old college roommate" who needed some help getting back on his feet and had come to stay --  _and_ about the New Year's kiss. The brunette frowned slightly, looking at him from their seats in the break room.

"Well... I mean, do you have  _feelings_ for the guy?" she asked, and Nick snorted and shook his head.

"No! No, of course not."  _At least, I don't **think** so... _"He's just an old friend." 

Baby gave a small nod. "And you said he hasn't brought it up at all?" Nick shook his head. "Then I'd say don't worry about it. I mean, it was probably just some drunk accident. The fact that he hasn't brought it up is indication enough that he's embarrassed as hell about it." She drank from her soda as Nick thought it over. Embarrassed. Drunk Accident. It made sense in Nick's mind. Lucifer had never been drunk before, and given what they'd been talking about before it happened... It seemed more and more likely the longer Nick thought about it.

"Yea. Yea, you're probably right, Baby," he replied with a small smile, "Thanks." She smiled and gave him a small nudge, making Nick smile wider. 

Lucifer, meanwhile, had no one to consult about the incident. He let his own insecurities eat away at him, until he eventually came to the same conclusion that Nick had, though it was naturally a bit different. Nick had been drunk, and resented it. So he never brought it up. That was the conclusion Lucifer got to. So he buried himself in TV and research, though mostly today's "research" consisted of binge watching  _Orange Is The New Black_ on Netflix. He didn't feel like doing much of anything that day, spending most of the day in a makeshift nest on his bed, in his pajamas, just watching the show all the way through. Occasionally, he'd slip out of bed with a blanket wrapped around him and scurry down to the kitchen for a drink or a snack, but for the most part, he spent the day in his room.

And when Nick got home, Lucifer nowhere in sight, he found himself slightly  _concerned._  "Lu?" he called, setting his things by the door. It wasn't like Lucifer not to be down stairs right about now. So Nick made his way up the stairs and to the Devil's room, knocking a few times before peering in. There was Lucifer, in his little nest, watching Netflix with a soda in hand. "Hey, Lu," Nick said gently from the door, "I thought you'd be downstairs right about now."

Lucifer shook his head slightly. "No. Decided to watch some Netflix," he answered, that same short kind of talk he'd been using for a while now. Nick gave a small nod, still a bit concerned. But Lucifer was a grown man, and if he wanted to stay in a blanket nest and watch Netflix all day, Nick couldn't really stop him. 

"Well... Okay. I'm making dinner, it should be ready in twenty minutes," he told him. Lucifer just nodded, eyes still on the screen, and Nick sighed before closing the door. 

_Yea_ , they both thought,  _The kiss was **definitely** an accident... _

 

* * *

February arrived without much incident. Lucifer was definitely not oblivious to the new holiday decorations popping up everywhere. But unlike before, he didn't ask Nick about it. Everything was pink and cutesy and covered in hearts and it just felt  _strange_ to ask Nick about it after what happened between them. Nick held silently growing concern over Lucifer's reclusive behavior. They'd been living together for almost five months now, you'd think Lucifer would be able to open up to him. But Nick knew Lucifer had some issues even  _he_ couldn't understand, so he decided he wouldn't push it. Maybe it was just a funk, and Lucifer would come out of it.

Lucifer, meanwhile, was doing all the research he could about what this "Valentine's Day" holiday was. He watched shows, read up on things, and came to the conclusion that it was like a second Thanksgiving, except for one person who was very important in your life. And since Lucifer only knew one other person, it seemed that Nick was the one he would be celebrating. So when the fourteenth rolled around, Lucifer waved Nick off as usual, and got to work. This time wouldn't be like Thanksgiving, not with the practice that Lucifer had had. No, everything would be cooked by him this time. So he made his way down to the store, picked up what he needed, and returned home with bags of groceries and treats. 

He stuck the chicken in the oven to get it roasting and started on the other things; the mashed potatoes, the carrots, the rosewine recipe he'd seen. He decorated, candles and roses everywhere. He even put them in Nick's room, though what the purpose was of Nick sleeping with candles and on rose petals he had no idea. It was one of the few parts of this holiday that confused him. There were other things, too, like all the "sexy" cards at the store, and all the ladies lingerie sales. But he ignored those for the most part. Though, he  _had_ taken a red lacy set into a dressing room,  _just_ to see how he'd look in it...

He set the box of chocolates out on the bed, along with a cute little card that read "Happy Valentine's Day to a special dude!" He set the table, poured the rosewine, and put out the chicken. Just in time, too, because Nick came through the door.

Nick always knew something was up when he came home to the smell of food. He moved into the dining room and stared in surprise at the rather romantic display in front of him. "Surprise!" Lucifer chirped proudly, awkwardness forgotten for the moment, "Happy Valentine's Day!" Nick blinked a bit, looking at the roast chicken, the mashed potatoes, the steamed carrots, the wine. Color bloomed over his cheeks as he looked up at Lucifer. 

"What's... What's all this?" he asked, motioning to the table. Lucifer's confident smile faltered slightly.

"I-It's for Valentine's Day," he said, his voice uncertain now, "I-Isn't it like a second Thanksgiving? For the one you're closest to?"

_Fuck_ , he could already see Lucifer's confidence dropping faster than a lead weight. Nick moved forward, nodding furiously. "Yes, that's  _exactly_ what it is," he lied, "I just didn't expect you to do anything for it. Did you make all this yourself?" He relaxed a bit at the sight of Lucifer once again perking up.

"Yes I did," he replied, "I hope it's okay. I'm still... You know, getting used to the whole 'cooking' thing. I followed these recipes to the letter though. I got them off the Pint-rest." Nick chuckled, shaking his head. He didn't bother to correct him. 

The food was surprisingly good. The potatoes were a bit bland, sure, and the chicken was a tad over seasoned -- but it was still better than the  _last_ time Lucifer had cooked. The wine, too, was pretty good, and Nick found himself really enjoying the evening. It was like there'd been no awkwardness between them, no accidental kiss. Many times through dinner, Nick saw Lucifer's eyes glance down at his lips, and Nick found himself doing the same. He shouldn't have wanted to kiss him again, but... he did. The warmth of the food, the intimacy of the candlelight... It made Nick's stomach feel surprisingly giddy. Like when they'd kissed, but this time he was entirely sober. It was a good feeling. Nick liked it.

When dinner was over, Nick helped Lucifer with the dishes, just like he'd done on Thanksgiving. After a lull in conversation, Lucifer spoke.

"I got your bedroom all ready," he said, "Candles, roses, chocolates. Everything."

Nick dropped the glass he'd been rinsing, though luckily it just landed in the sink full of water under it and didn't shatter. "E-Excuse me?" he asked, his cheeks burning as he looked over at the Devil.

Lucifer looked back at Nick, calm as ever, though once more confused. "I saw the tradition of decorating the bedroom with roses and candles to honor your loved one," he responded, "I thought it was kind of silly, but then again, I don't know much about human traditions still. Tell me, does sleeping on the rose petals do anything for the body? Is it supposed to help your skin? Or make you smell better?" 

Nick understood then that Lucifer had not intended to join him in bed for any  _more traditional_ Valentine's Day "activities", and found himself facing a strange combination of relief and disappointment. "Uh... Y-Yea, it's supposed to help you sleep and have good dreams," he replied, his face still burning red as he picked up the glass he'd dropped and continued to clean it. Lucifer shrugged, finishing his last dish and setting it down.

"Well then, I hope you sleep rather well," he said with a small smile. He hesitated as Nick looked at him, those ice blue eyes gravitating to Nick's lips again, before he cleared his throat and gave a small wave. "Goodnight then, Nick. Happy Valentine's Day." And he was off and up the stairs to his room. Nick sighed, finishing his last dish and drying off his hands.

"Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Lu," he said quietly, though he knew it was far too late for Lucifer to hear him. He turned out the lights and climbed the stairs, entering his bedroom. Candles had been set up all over his room, rose petals scattered as well. A box of chocolates and a card sat on the bed, and Nick smiled softly at them. The last time he'd done something for Valentine's Day, it'd been his and Sarah's first together. He'd done as Lucifer did: made a dinner, the candles and the roses... Seeing it all warmed Nick's heart. He cradled the card close as he looked out over what had been done for him.

Maybe... Maybe the kiss hadn't been an accident afterall...


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying really hard to update guys, so I'm sorry if this comes out shorter than the rest have been!

Things seemed to be almost normal after that. Lucifer was talking a bit more, Nick was laughing again. They were eating dinner together and watching  _Game of Thrones_ every Sunday again. It was like that brief period of awkwardness never happened, and Nick couldn't even put into words how happy that made him. He was surprised how much he'd missed all the little things Lucifer did, all the small quirks he had, the innocently clueless questions. It was like having a best friend back -- if one could even consider Satan to be a friend in any degree.

March rolled around, and with March came St Patrick's Day. Lucifer had been all about that day, spewing out all the history, the allegories behind the tale, and he had the strangest fascination with the leprechauns. "I just don't understand," he would say, "They have all that gold, but don't spend it.... Why? What could they possibly buy? Aren't they about three feet tall? I don't think they'd want to wear baby clothes." Nick had introduced him to Shamrock Shakes, and the tradition of "Wear green or you'll get pinched", but he was sure to keep the alcohol down. He didn't want a repeat of New Year's Eve.

When April came, so did the rain. There were days when Nick would come home to see Lucifer just standing out in the backyard, his head tilted up to the sky, eyes closed as the rain fell and the thunder rolled. He wondered if any of it reminded him of home. That was the look on his face -- sad and fond. The way Nick got when he looked at his baby girl's old toys, or old pictures of him and Sarah. A happy and sad memory all at once. 

Work slowed down a bit too, which was naturally bad for business but nice for Nick, because it gave him and Baby plenty of time to goof around. There were many an office game of trash can basket ball, or paper airplane contests. As slow as it was, Baby made sure they never had a boring day. And when Nick came home, Lucifer was always there to talk to. It was a wonderful system Nick had going, he was happy almost all the time. It really helped him. 

"Pst, Nicky."

Baby's voice was whispered through a crack between their cubicles one Friday afternoon. Nick grinned and leaned close, sticking his ear over the crack to hear her. "Let's get coffee after work. Not like  _right_ after work, because you know  _everyone's_ gonna do that. But like, at seven at the Starbucks down the street, where that little bookstore is. Sound good?"

"Hell yea, sounds great," Nick responded without hesitation, "I can totally make that. They've got those new mini fraps and I wanna see how many different flavors I can get for the price of a coffee." Baby laughed on the other side of the cubicle before getting back to work. She seemed extra excited and happy throughout the whole day, and beamed twice as bright at Nick when she left. He told her he'd see her at seven and waved her off. 

When he got home, he waved to Lucifer but hurried upstairs. "Hey, where are you going?" the Devil questioned, "We haven't had dinner yet." 

Nick beamed, half way up the stairs. "Oh! I'm goin' out tonight," he announced, "I'm meeting Baby for coffee at seven."

Lucifer frowned a bit. "You're... Meeting a girl for coffee?"

After a few moments, realization dawned on Nick. Oh.  _Oh_. "W-Well, yea, but she's a friend from work and..." Why was he defending this to Lucifer? Date or not (and Nick was  _pretty_ sure it was a date, judging by how excited Baby had been), he wasn't dating Lucifer. Lucifer wasn't his significant other, his boyfriend, his lover, his hook up, his booty call... He was  _just_ a guy living in his house. 

So... why did Nick suddenly feel  _guilty_?

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?" Nick promised, "We'll do whatever you want, a whole day for just you and me. How's that sound? I can teach you how to cook something if you want." The Devil shook his head, and smiled just a bit.

"It's okay. Really. You go enjoy your date." 

_It doesn't **sound** okay... _

Nick sighed and went up the stairs as Lucifer hung back, no doubt waiting to go to his own room. Nick entered his bedroom and no sooner had he shut his door did Lucifer's shut as well. Shit. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at the clock. Five thirty. He had time to call Baby and tell her the date was off, right? But... Why would he do that? Just because he felt a  _bit_ guilty about Lucifer being upset? Why  _should_ he call it off? Didn't Baby make Nick happy? Didn't they have a blast together? Other than Lucifer, Baby was the only person he really felt comfortable around. 

He had no chance with Lucifer, Nick decided. Even if he  _did_ have a crush on the Devil -- which he totally  _didn't_ \-- there was no chance Lucifer would  _ever_ be interested in him. The kiss, Nick had decided, had been a test of curiosity. He was pretty sure Lucifer had never kissed before. But nothing else had happened, so he was pretty sure that was the end of that. Nick dressed, brushed his teeth, did his hair, pulled on his jacket. He opened his mouth to call out to Lucifer, but decided against it. He may have been sleeping. 

So Nick took a breath, and stepped out the door, deciding to step up to the plate and give this curve ball a chance.

* * *

Baby was standing there waiting when he finally got out of his car.

He'd been parked, waiting and debating, some part of him hesitant. Nick kept telling himself it was because he was nervous -- he hadn't dated anyone since Sarah died. But somewhere deep down, he knew it was because of Lucifer. Because he had honest to god _feelings_ for him. There was no way Nick could hide it, not now when the idea of being with someone else was at the forefront of his mind. But... At the same time...

There was no way Lucifer would be with him. Absolutely no way. The kiss had been a fluke, Lucifer's curiosity, and the Valentine's Day gifts had been ignorance and trying to fit in. There'd been nothing else to suggest romantic interest, not even weird Angelic courtship rituals or whatever. Why put all his eggs into a basket that wasn't even there? Why deny himself a chance with someone he _knew_ made him happy, he  _knew_ he had a good time with, and he  _knew_ liked him? The answer was simple: he  _wouldn't_. He would give Baby a chance. So at 7:10, Nick got out of his car like he  _hadn't_ just been sitting there for an hour, and made his way over.

Baby was standing there in a pair of jean shorts, stockings, a dark tank top, and a jacket that must have belonged to one of her brothers or her father, because it was _way_ too big for her. Her brown curly hair was up in a messy bun on the top of her head, and she wore boots on her feet. Her lips looked pink as roses and her eyes popped significantly with the makeup she'd applied to them.  When they landed on Nick, he swore the stars shone in them.

"Hey Nicky," she smiled, "I was afraid you changed your mind."

 _I almost did_. "Nope, nope, here I am. A bit late, though, sorry about that." She waved off his worry and led him inside. She ordered their drinks, and Nick paid. They settled at a table for a while, eating the pastries they'd bought before making their way down the street to the bookstore. The entire night was full of conversation. They talked about all the things they never got to at work; their favorite movies, favorite bands, favorite places they've been, places they wanted to go. There weren't often moments of silence, but when there were, Nick found himself not minding too much. He was pretty sure he never stopped smiling.

His hand had found hers on the way to her car, and once they got there, he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "M'lady," he grinned, opening the driver's side door after she'd unlocked it, "Your chariot awaits."

She laughed, softly cupping his cheek before sliding into the driver's seat. "Dork," Baby muttered, rolling her eyes with a grin, "Text me later, okay? Maybe, if you're not busy, I know this really great seafood place we could hit on Sunday? Then cosmic bowling after?" 

Nick beamed, nodding. "You got it, babe," he said, and she laughed. He stood by his car, watching her drive off, before rushing home. He felt  _good_. Nick felt  _good_ and he  _liked_ that. He was  _glad_ he'd gone out. He had a great time, he was supercharged with energy. True, that may have been the coffee's doing, but he still felt really good. When he got home, Lucifer was sitting on the couch watching TV. "How'd it go?" he asked Nick.

"It went great!" he replied, heading for the stairs, "We're going out to dinner then cosmic bowling on Sunday night. But for now, I should get to bed. It's kind of late. See you tomorrow, Lu!" 

Lucifer watched Nick go up the stairs, a small, sad frown forming on his lips.

"But we **always** watch  _Game of Thrones_ on Sundays..." he whispered dejectedly, the fact falling on no ears but his own in the dim light of the empty living room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter is so short! I've been out of town and I forced myself to crank out another chapter for you all <3 Things are going to start picking up soon, so writing will be easier. <3

Nicholas Lambert was in love with the Devil.

There was absolutely no other way around the fact. When he woke up that morning, and the excitement from the night before wore off, all he could feel was guilt. The way Lucifer had _looked_ at him, the way he _sounded_ … It cut at him in ways he didn’t even know it could. In the months since Lucifer had wound up on Nick’s doorstep, the poor, poor human had fallen in love with him.

Nick lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling in silence as he listened to the sounds of the house outside his door. Silence. Lucifer was usually up trying to make breakfast by now. But… he wasn’t. The house was silent as the grave. No TV, no sounds of surprise or triumph from the kitchen. Just… silence. Nothing unnerved him more than a silent Devil, and Nick knew he was the one who had done it.

“Shit,” he breathed quietly, rubbing his face. Maybe he should call this whole thing off with Baby. Sweet a girl as she was, there was something… _affecting_ Lucifer. Whether it was a side effect of his past issues or something more, Nick didn’t know. He didn’t want to bother Lucifer and ask about them. He was _terrified_ to speak to the Archangel, he found, not because of who he was, but because he was afraid of making it _worse_.

But, then again… when had Nick been as happy as he was last night? When had he laughed so much, been so relaxed? There would always be a tension between him and Lucifer, always. Lucifer had literally ruined Nick’s life (well, ruined it more than it already was), and why Nick had let him in was still a mystery. Maybe it was because Nick was just a good person. Maybe it was a leftover bond from when they were one. Whatever the case, there was no going back now.

Eventually, Nick sat up in bed, rubbed his face again, and made for the shower. When he was out and dressed, he still didn’t hear anything from Lucifer. Steeling up his courage, the man leaned close and knocked at the door. “Lu?” he said quietly. No response. _Of course not_.

“Hey… I’m going out shopping, okay? You know how to use the phone, call me if you need me. I’ll be back soon. And, hey, I’ll even pick up that ice cream you like, chocolate chip mint?”

_Are you seriously trying to coax out the Devil with food, Nick?_ **_Seriously_** _?_

He sighed and moved away from the door. He paused at the top of the step, because he thought he heard movement, but when nothing else happened he continued down the stairs. Nick settled in the car and pulled away from the house. It was… strange, going to the store without Lucifer. They’d been doing this together since the Devil showed up, it was like _their thing_ , but now the passenger’s seat was empty again. Nick hated emptiness.

He pulled up to the store, face a bit sullen. He’d just wrangled a cart when his phone buzzed. He was still feigning surprise at his disappointment when it wasn’t Lucifer.

> _[ Text ;; Baby ]    Hey Nicky! Just wanted to thank you again for last night.  
>                            I _ _was really nervous, I hope it didn’t show… >.> Anyway,  
>  _ _really excited about tomorrow. You doin’ anything fun tonight?_

_Does wallowing in self pity count?_ Nick groaned and ran a hand through his hair. He’d never seen Baby as happy as she was yesterday on their date. He’d never heard her laugh so loud, or smile so big, or seem so light and excited. She was really into him, he realized. And Lucifer…

Lucifer was the Devil. He hated humanity. He put up with Nick because he needs him, because he was a vessel, maybe even from guilt, if that’s even possible. That’s all it is. Nothing real. No emotions. _You fell for the Devil, Nick. How desperate can you get?_

Nick tacked back a reply that he had a lovely time and that he wasn’t doing anything exciting. They texted throughout his shopping trip, only stopping when he had to drive home. When Nick pulled into his driveway, he managed to get all the groceries into the house. Opening the door revealed that nothing had been touched. Nothing had moved. No lights, nothing had been stirred. Lucifer hadn’t come downstairs in the hour and a half that he’d been gone.

Quietly, he put the groceries away, leaving out the chocolate chip mint ice cream and a spoon. Once everything was put away, Nick made his way up the stairs and to Lucifer’s room. _Knock knock_. “Hey… I’m back. I got your ice cream…” He opened the door slowly, peering in. Lucifer was curled up in bed, back to Nick, laying in silence. The ex-vessel moved over to the other side of the bed, sitting quietly and setting the ice cream and the spoon on the bedside counter.

“Look, Lucifer…” Nick started quietly, “If you think Baby’s going to change things between us… She’s not, okay? We’re still friends. I have no idea how it happened, but we’re friends. And no girl can change that between us, I promise. But if you’re my friend, Lu, you’d be happy for me instead of moping around. I haven’t been this happy since Sarah.” _That’s a lie._ **_You_ ** _make me this happy_. “So just… be happy for me. Please. If our friendship means anything to you, just… be happy for me.”

Nick reached out to rub Lucifer’s arm, but thought better against it, and rose from the bed. He then left the room in silence and moved downstairs to make a dinner for one.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayeee, 1 year anniversary of this fic, woo!

The ice cream dribbled over the counter and onto the tan carpet, staining it a sickly green. Chocolate chips stuck to the wood, some melted, some whole, some on the floor too. It'd been three days, and ants had started to descend on the melted ice cream. It remained untouched by anyone else.

Nick had only checked on him one more time, but that had been on the second day. Lucifer discovered his body was truly human, as he felt his stomach about devouring itself when the morning of the second day came. He waited until Nick left for his date --  _uhg_ \-- before going down to the kitchen and devouring everything he could find until his stomach hurt. He then crawled back up into bed, ignoring the ant riddled mess beside his bed. The ants had started finding their way to his bed, but Lucifer didn't care. Nick came home, Nick cleaned up, Nick went off to do whatever it was he did.

What was this feeling? It was vaguely familiar but so new all at the same time. He  **hated** it. It felt like it was coming from somewhere in his chest, and all he wanted to do was rip out every part of his insides until he found it. But, being human, he knew that would probably kill him, so it was best not to. He just... wanted it to stop. It was that same achy, abandoned feeling he'd had his first few hundred years after being cast out of Heaven. It brought back memories he'd rather not have and made him feel absolutely worthless. What had he done wrong? What had he done to turn Nick away from him? He thought things were going so well between them. He thought... He  _thought_...

Well, it didn't matter  **what** he thought. It obviously wasn't the truth, was it?

Lucifer curled up more in the blankets and sighed, keeping his eyes closed. He was achy and grumpy from not eating or drinking properly, and ants tickled his skin now and again, and he  _really_ needed a shower... But he didn't move. Not even when Nick opened the door.

"Lu... C'mon, you'll die if you keep yourself locked away up here."

He may have been there to say more, but he didn't get that far. He saw the ants and groaned in disgust, moving out then returning to clean up the mess. It crossed his mind that Nick could become angry about wasting money on the ice cream. But then Lucifer realized he didn't care. After Nick finished cleaning up the mess, he looked at Lucifer, who had curled tighter into the sheets.

"Look, Lucifer..." he began, running a hand through his hair, "I... I don't know what to tell you, okay? Baby makes me happy, you make me happy, I want you both in my life. I'm doing my best to make it work, but I can't if you won't let me in. You  **need** to tell me what's wrong. I can't fix it otherwise."

 _You're **my** human_, some voice snarled in the back of Lucifer's head, surprising him,  _Not **hers**. You belong to  **me**._

"I don't like her," he finally settled on, his voice a bit hoarse from lack of speaking, "I don't trust her. Humans aren't trustworthy." 

_I don't like her because she's taking you away from me._

"And yet you trust  **me** ," Nick countered, "If anything, I've shown you good humans exist. What makes you think she'd be any different? Don't you think, if you trust me, you can trust anyone  _I_ trust?"

_No. Because you **want** her. You  **chose** her. _

"Lucifer, it's going to be okay. Can't you trust me?"

_I **lost**._

"Lucifer, are you even listening to me?"

 _I **love** you_.

Nick apparently got tired of the silence and got up with a sigh, moving towards the door. A panic caught Lucifer by surprise and a whimper left him. Nick froze, then turned back to him. This time, he moved to the side of the bed where Lucifer's face was, and knelt beside it. Lucifer had stubble growing over his cheeks, his hair a bit longer, a bit messier, bags under his ice blue eyes. He looked like the living dead, and when he looked up at Nick, he  _felt_ like it.

"C'mere," Nick murmured softly, reaching under the covers, softly taking Lucifer's hand and pulling him out of the bed, "I'm gonna get you in the bath, get you in some clothes, and we're going out somewhere, okay?" 

Lucifer didn't protest, just allowed Nick to take him out of the bed and lead him to the adjoined bathroom. He just stood there, staring at himself in the mirror. His hair was longer than Nick's, teasing his ears. Maybe he should get it cut. He was paler than Nick, he noted, and after the human turned on the warm water and moved towards him, he noticed that he was a few inches taller, too. Strange, considering they were literally the same body. But maybe something Angelic shifted Lucifer. Who knew. Who cared. It was gone now.

Nick sighed and looked Lucifer over. "I'm going to undress you. Is that okay?"

It took Lucifer a moment to understand why Nick was asking for his consent. When he understood, he nodded, granting the permission. No one had ever asked for  _his_ consent before. But he supposed this was different: Nick was no Angel who would hurt him, and humans had strange customs about nudity. Nick took his time, gently removing the shirt, the sweat pants, the boxers (being  _very_ careful to ignore between Lucifer's legs, he noted). He led Lucifer into the bathtub and knelt beside him, softly pouring water over his body, letting the warmth envelop him.

Lucifer watched the water tint just a bit from the dirt on his body and hair accumulated from lack of care the past few days. He sat with his knees to his chest, cheek on his knee, looking off somewhere behind Nick as the other continued pouring water over his body. Now and again, Nick's fingers would trace the lines of the six scars down Lucifer's back.

"I used to do this for Sarah, when she'd have a bad day," he said quietly, fingers still stroking over Lucifer's back -- a sensation the Devil found he liked very much, "I'd make her a hot bath and just take care of her, just like this." There was something about Nick comparing him to his dead wife that Lucifer always liked. Nick was saying things to him, doing things with him... that he only did with his wife. With a person he had been in love with. With someone who had made him happy. It made Lucifer feel good. He closed his eyes and let Nick continue the soft touches, feeling them move over his spine, his arms, his neck, his hair. Gentle and meant to comfort.

They sat like that in silence, Nick stroking his skin or pouring water over him, until the water got cold. Then he washed Lucifer's hair and got him out. He dried him, and Lucifer blushed at the gentle touches that, however innocent, got very close to a sensitive part of his new human anatomy.

Once he was dried, Nick wrapped the towel around his shoulders and looked up at Lucifer, his own cheeks just a bit red. He was surprised when he felt hands, so so gentle in their touch, rest on his hips, and his racing heart bubbled up into his throat. Water dripped lightly from Lucifer's hair as he looked down at Nick, before dripping onto Nick's cheek. The Devil's hand lifted, brushing the water off his skin -- and Nick leaned into the touch, his eyes lidded, his cheeks red, as he looked up at the Devil. So close. So  _close_...

"Nick, I..."

Somewhere far away, a cell phone rang. 

It seemed to knock Nick out of whatever spell he was under and he pulled away, leaving Lucifer's hand holding air instead of the soft warmth of his cheek. "I-I should get that," he muttered, "You know how to shave. Go ahead and tidy up and get dressed, and we'll go."

And then he was gone, and Lucifer watched both figuratively (and literally) as Nick Lambert slipped through his fingers.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Back In Black starts blaring]  
> Sup nerds. It's me, back again to bring you more of this very unloved ship. I'm tired so this might not be the best chapter, but dang it I'm trying hard to finish this story xD  
> Also! A bit of background for my Non-American readers: The 4th of July is the American Independence day! We spend the whole day making burgers and drinking beer and watch fireworks at night with sparklers (granted, that's a very general and almost stereotyped description of the activities, but eh). A topic mentioned by Nick in this story is that "Louie", a human alias Lucifer uses in this chapter, is a war vet and the fireworks trigger PTSD. Sadly, this is a very real thing that happens to vets, many of whom I know personally and see struggle when the holiday comes around.

Weeks went by with Lucifer in this strange cycle. Nick finally made note of it by the third round, though he should have noticed sooner, he realized. 

Lucifer would start out reclused. Hiding in his room, barely taking care of himself, Nick forcing him to eat and shower. Slowly, so slowly, Lucifer would start to come out of that shell. He'd start spending time with Nick again, following him around like a lost puppy. He may not have been back to his previous, snarky self, but he was up and about which was literally the bare minimum Nick was ever asking for. But then... All it took was  _one_ thing -- one mention, one picture, one  **glimpse** of Baby... And Lucifer was back at stage one.

He just didn't understand it. Nick tried, don't get him wrong. He thought, at first, maybe it was an insecurity thing. Lucifer had been disowned and hated by his entire family. Maybe he was afraid that the only person he had was being taken from him. So Nick had spent  _weeks_ making constant reassurance to Lucifer that that was absolutely not happening. But when nothing changed, he decided that might not be the  _entire_ problem. So then he'd have to think of something else, wrack his brain for something that could make a lick of sense. One time he went as far as thinking that maybe Lucifer  **loved** him.

But Lucifer? In love with a pathetic human like him? Yea, right.

It was late June when Nick decided maybe it would help Lucifer overcome whatever anxieties he had by having him actually meet Baby. Let him see that he wouldn't be stolen away and that Baby had no intention to do so. So when Baby invited him to a family Fourth of July barbecue, he was quick to ask if his "cousin" could come. Baby, the doll that she was, was more than happy to welcome "Louie" to the event. And with an hour of convincing (and a  _lot_ of begging) on Nick's end, Lucifer agreed to go. "Only to see what this strange holiday is about," he muttered as excuse. It was good enough for Nick.

On the day of the Fourth, Nick got Lucifer showered and shaved, and helped him dress in something warm but comfortable. "I told her your name is Louie," he informed Lucifer as he finished getting ready, "Everyone will probably call you Lu, so you don't have--"

"Only  **you** can call me Lu," he said lowly from his place on the bed, making Nick stop and look at Lucifer with a small nod.

"Alright... I'll be sure they know not to call you Lu," Nick replied softly, before moving over to Lucifer, "This really means a lot to me, the fact that you're doing this. I know you don't want to, but I think you're ready to be around all those humans. And I'll be there the whole time if you need me. I just... Thank you, Lucifer." A hand lifted, smoothing down some of Lucifer's unruly hair. The Devil leaned into the touch quietly, eyes half shut as he did so.

"It means a lot to you," he said quietly after a moment, "And that's why I'm doing it."

* * *

 

"Hey, Nick! Y'made it!" Baby laughed, beaming at her boyfriend and hugging him tight. She kissed his cheek, but Nick refrained from kissing any part of her face, not wanting to upset Lucifer. He'd spent twenty minutes in the car talking Lucifer down again, the ex-angel having changed his mind as they parked. When he finally got Lucifer to go again, he promised they wouldn't stay long. They'd watch fireworks, and they'd go. 

"Course we did," he chuckled low, then pulled back and rest his hand on Lucifer's back, "Baby, this is my cousin, Louie. Lu, this is Baby."

Baby, having already been briefed about the "No Lu" rule, held out a gentle hand. "Hi, Louie," she said, her tone soft and almost motherly in that way that Nick loved, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Nick talks about you all the time."

Lucifer perked up at that, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. "He does?"

Her hand hovered a moment or two longer, but when she realized the handshake would never come, she awkwardly dropped her hand before nodding. "He hardly shuts up about you," she responded with a small smile, "C'mon, I'll introduce you to the gang and show you both where the grub is." 

Lucifer hovered close to Nick the whole time, both uncomfortable with all the strangers and not wanting Nick and Baby to be alone. That didn't stop Nick from holding her hand or wrapping his arm around her. Lucifer did his best to ignore that, focusing instead on the food. It was very good, he couldn't deny. Or maybe it was just that he'd barely eaten in weeks, and now (with no room of his own to go off to) food was his only way of coping with his current circumstances. 

Finally, the sun set, and Baby's grandfather turned the radio to the local station for the music meant to accompany the fireworks show. Lucifer and Nick sat in neighboring lawn chairs, with Baby settled on Nick's lap with an arm lazily around him. He had his arms wrapped around her waist, and Lucifer had to fight down the fires of envy that flared in his eyes when he watched the delicate way Nick's fingers traced over her thigh idly during conversation. His mind flipped back to that first bath, with Nick's fingers on his back.  _I used to do this with Sarah, when she had a bad day_.

How many things did Nick do with Baby that he only did with Sarah, too?

The loud boom of the first firework drew everyone's attention, both Nick and Lucifer's heads turning at once. But Lucifer's face was not full of awe, or wonder -- but  **fear**. More fireworks, more loud sounds that rattled his chest and made his eardrums throb.  _The Cage._ **Bang**.  _Michael_. **Bang**.  _Father_. **Bang** _**bang** **BANG**_. Bright lights. Loud sounds. Explosions. Lucifer didn't even remember dropping his beer bottle, or rushing into the house, or collapsing in the bathtub with his knees to his chest and his hands over his ears, rocking and whimpering. 

The next thing he did remember, though, was Nick.

"Hey, hey, Lucifer -- Lucifer, are you with me --?"

" _The Cage_ \--" he whimpered, eyes wet and frantic. He didn't need to say anymore. Nick understood.

Nick gathered him up and ushered him out immediately. He held Lucifer close to his chest, hand over his head to cover the ear not against him. He met Baby's eyes and gave a small nod. She returned it, the silent gesture Nick's promise to explain later. Nick got Lucifer in the back seat and laid him down, giving him his jacket as well as the one Lucifer had brought, allowing him to use them as ear plugs.

"We'll be home soon," he promised, "Just hang on."

* * *

 

It had taken an hour and a half of talking down, another hour and a half for a warm bath, and a final ten minutes to finally calm Lucifer down. He was sure that the fact that Lucifer had never had a panic attack before hadn't helped the situation. Nick hadn't even considered that Lucifer would be affected by the fireworks -- and he should have. He should have brought it up, should have considered... But he didn't. And he felt so damn  **guilty**.

He'd called Baby and explained the situation. "Louie" had just returned from some time overseas, and fireworks were an issue. She understood and hoped that "Louie" was well. He was glad she wasn't upset, but then again, he didn't expect her to be. Baby wasn't like that. Which was one of the reasons why he liked her so much.

The grip of a soft hand in his shirt drew him out of thoughts of Baby and into ones of the man in his arms.

Nick held Lucifer now, arms wrapped around him with Lucifer's face in his chest. The Devil had been exhausted by his episode, and Nick wanted to keep Lucifer close to watch over him. So he tucked Lucifer into his bed, the two tangled and close. Nick had pet his hair until Lucifer's breathing went soft and even, a sign that he was finally at rest. Ice blue eyes looked down at the sleeping being in silence, fingers still softly brushing through his hair. 

Lucifer was...  _everything_ to Nick.

The realization hit Nick hard, but at the same time it was like a truth he'd always known but had never acknowledged. Fingers traced the familiar lines of Lucifer's jaw, his nose, his cheek, the curve of his neck, the bumps of the fingers holding into his shirt. Everything familiar and comfortable. This man, this ex-angel... Was Nick's entire world. More than Baby was. ~~Maybe even more than Sarah had been.~~

He sighed and rest his forehead to Lucifer's, eyes closed and fingers running over his neck. "What am I supposed to do, Lucifer?" he whispered, a small, sad smile on his lips, "There's no books on what to do with the devil at your door. And there's certainly no books that tell you what to do when you've fallen in love with him."

The Devil slept on, unresponsive and unhearing, just as Nick expected. He sighed and pulled Lucifer against him, resting his cheek to the top of his head before closing his eyes. When he slept, all Nick dreamed of was the New Year's Kiss. And judging by the way they both smiled in their sleep, Lucifer was dreaming the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AYEEEE I DID THE THING. DID YOU CATCH THE THING??? THE TITLE??? HAHAHAHA I'll go home now


End file.
